Victims of Circumstance
by Kyrie
Summary: Things change when Harm's attractive younger cousin joins the Jag team and an interesting under cover investigation strains Harm and Mac's relationship. H/Mac/??? ( rating may change.)
1. prologue

Disclaimer: it's Not Mine, please don't sue, I have no money.  
Setting: well, anytime after Jagathon will work I guess.  
Author's Note: well, this is my first JAG fic, so be nice. :)   
  
  
  
Everything was finally back to normal.   
Mac sighed contentedly as she sat at her desk in her spacious office. It was another beautiful spring morning, and though she longed to be out in the sun, doing anything besides the masses of paper work she had committed herself to over the past few weeks, there was a peaceful and happy silence that consumed the JAG offices, and she fully reveled in it.   
Her relationship with her partner Harm, had gone back to that competitive yet comfortable, relaxed and flirtatious friendship that she had missed in the past months. Now that Mic, Renee, and all of the confusion they had brought with them had been almost entirely cleared up, everything seemed to be running smoothly and chaos-free.  
  
But she had a feeling that all of her new found peace would soon come to a crashing halt, as her partner gave a quick erratic knock on her door before rushing into her office in excitement. She looked up at him with an amused expression of confusion, and saw that elated gleam in his eye, which always indicated that something completely interesting and thrilling, and sometimes completely devastating was about to happen.   
  
  
" Mac..." Harm had gotten only one word out before he was stopped in mid sentence. As he stared at his partner with a strange distracted, awestruck gaze. The sunlight from the window behind her was pouring in through her office, that made her hair shine softly and her eyes come alive with an intensity that he had never seen in them before. For a moment he just stared at her, captivated.  
  
" Harm, what is it?" she asked, nervously.  
  
Harm shook his head slightly to the left, " Oh," he had almost forgotten what he had come to say, " you'll never guess what's happening." he said excitedly.  
  
" um, the admiral is voluntarily taking the day off?" she mused.  
  
"nope. better."  
  
" okay, I give." she smiled at him, amused.  
  
" well, you know how I told you about my cousin Andrew, you know the one from New Jersey?"  
  
" the shrink?" she asked.  
  
" yeah, that one, and you know about how a few days ago the admiral was talking about how we were going to hire someone who can do case profiling, personal investigation, interrogation, and counseling? Well, I knew Andrew was looking for something knew, and that he was definitely suitable for the job , and so I talked him into applying so he did, and he really is a great guy and we always used to..."  
  
" So wait he's coming to work here?" Mac interrupted in a surprised tone.  
  
" yes, isn't that great? and I just know he's going to add to the atmosphere around here, and we'll make a great team..." he rambled quickly, as if he was already trying to force Mac into approving of his younger cousin.   
  
" well, when's he going to be here?" Mac asked, feeling slightly overwhelmed by this sudden change of events.  
  
Mac stood up from her desk just as she noticed a tall, unusually attractive man walk into her office, " Hey harm," he called in a casually humorous tone, " Sturgis said that you were probably in trouble in here so I thought I'd..." the man paused the moment he noticed Mac, and turned towards her, with an interested, slightly stunned expression.  
Mac studied him. he had light brown, almost blond hair that was cut in a longer style that hunk loosely around the sides of his forehead and almost reached his ears in the back. His eyes were a deep brownish green that held an incredible amount of depth, a lot of humor, mystery, and an intense amount of ambition that caught her a little bit off guard as he peered at her intently.   
  
He held his hand out towards her, " hi, I'm Andrew." he announced. his voice was deep and soothing, almost hypnotic.  
  
Mac shook his hand, noting it's strength . " I'm Mac." She replied. she flashed him one of her rarely spared, dazzling grins that has an enticing affect on nearly every man who had ever glimpsed it. The act did not go past Harm who tensed, and cocked an eyebrow at them curiously.   
" So this is Mac! Harm has told me a lot about you, but he sure was holding out on some of the, uh, primitive details." he smiled at her, and glanced at harm accusingly.   
  
Mac laughed, and so did Andrew, she noticed that Harm did not. " same here." she replied.  
She guessed Andrew to be 2 to 4 years younger than she, not the young, inexperienced school boy she had imagined him to be.  
  
Their meeting was interrupted when Harriet stepped into Mac's office. "The admiral wants to see the three of you." He paused inside the door for a moment to cooly glance Andrew up and down before exiting.  
  
" She seems nice." Andrew stated, sarcastically.  
  
" She really is once you get to know her." said Mac.  
  
" We should get to the admiral soon." Harm stated, directing Mac and his cousin out of the office, the elated lift now absent from his voice.  
  
Mac noted the graceful and confident way in which Andrew carried himself as they walked toward the Admirals office. He had an incredibly strong sense off presence, which was similar to Harm's, So that whenever he stepped into a room, all eyes were immediately cast upon him. Yet he seemed not to notice the curious glances and stares he was receiving as they made their way through the bullpen, and stepped into the Admiral Chegwidden's office.  
  
Mac and Harm stood at attention as they entered the admiral's office, and Andrew shook A.J.s hand. " Admiral." he addressed him personably.   
  
" Andrew Rabb." he nodded at him respectfully. AJ peered at Andrew with that intimidating gaze that he used so commonly on newly appointed officers. " Welcome to JAG. I trust that you will be a valuable asset to our... family. " he added formally.  
  
He took out a yellow case file, and handed it to Mac. " This new case just came in this morning, it will require a lot of investigation and time, you should find it rather challenging." he paused and looked at them. He seemed to be unsteady, not sure of his actions, which was unusual for the Admiral. His expression devoid of any obvious emotion. He raised is hand towards the door gesturing for them to get started on their work. " have fun kids." he said.  
  
  
An uneasy feeling settled over Harm as he left the Admiral's office and retreated with Andrew and his partner back to Mac's office to begin researching their first case as a trio. Just a few moments ago, he had been ecstatic about having Andrew come to JAG. But now, for some reason, he wasn't so sure, and he didn't understand why. ' What exactly is it that's bothering me?', he thought to himself. He would now be able to work everyday with who he considered his two best friends, everyday. What could be better?   
  
He looked over at Andrew, thought about all of the things he loved about Andrew, all of the good times they'd had together, and the bad ones. He noticed that Andrew was looking over at Mac, with an intrigued look on his face. Mac, sensing someone was watching her, glanced up at Andrew as he flashed her a quick smile, which spoke so many words in it's briefness. And for the first time in his entire life, Harmon Rabb felt threatened by his little cousin Andrew. 


	2. Musings

Harm sighed in frustration at the lack of information staring up at him from the case file. The case should be easy enough to solve, but the facts just didn't add up.  
Two days ago, two Navy Junior officers were taken into custody, accused of being involved in a drug operation involving both the Navy, as well as a group of unknown civilian drug dealers. It appeared as though the civilian drug dealers, were giving the soldiers drugs in return for weapons stolen from the military. The two Junior officers, Ensigns Brient Edgen and Kevin Walters, would not tell investigators who the civilian drug dealers were, or what other Navy members were involved in the operation. Therefore, no other criminals were brought in to custody.   
" well, I'm not so sure how much we can do if these guys won't confess Harm, we really don't have anything to start an investigation with." said Mac wearily after the 3 hours she, Harm, and Andrew had spent in her office researching the case.   
  
" We could start by questioning the comrades of the two officers and seeing how much information we can squeeze out of them, but It would probably be a complete waste of time, seeing as how hush hush all these people are about this whole operation. They're probably all involved, like some type of big, government/terrorist conspiracy. Which would make sense, because there really is no doubt in my mind that these drug dealers are terrorists. They'd have to be right? They completely match the profile." Andrew said, matter of factly.   
  
Harm took a few moments to think over what Andrew said. The idea did make sense, but harm did not want to believe that the Navy was capable of doing something so extremely and obviously wrong, and he tried to think of a different solution. But the more he thought about it the more he realized that Andrews presumption really did make sense, and that they would have to investigate the possibility of it. " we could go under cover." he offered, looking up at Mac, searching her face for an agreement.   
  
She grinned at him and shrugged. " okay." she consented, knowing that her days of peace had just come to an abrupt end.  
  
" Yes!" Andrew disclaimed in excitement.," See, I knew I would never be bored if I came to work with you Harm."   
  
" So we're going to New York?" asked Mac.  
  
" yes I guess we are", said Harm, I'll go talk to the admiral and set up transportation arrangements with Harriet, you two go ahead and pack, we'll all meet up at the airport later tonight."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
" This is going to be great." said Andrew as he placed his carry on bag in the compartment above his seat. He sat in the middle seat, between Harm and Mac. Mac seemed distracted and deep in thought, gazing absently out the window. Harm took out the itinerary, studying it as he listened to Andrew chatter on endlessly. "I've never been undercover on anything before, but I'm sure I'll be okay at it. I am a psychologist, and I used to act in college. How many times have you been undercover Harm?" Over the next hour on the plane, Andrew engaged in intense amounts of conversation, about anything he could think of of interest to him.   
He psychologically dissected everyone he had met at the office, AJ, Sturgis, Harriet, Singer, as well as Harm, and Mac listened contentedly the entire time, greatly amused by his prospects. After while he stopped talking , and Mac had suspected he had simply gotten tired, ( it was a very late flight), or that maybe he had run out of things to talk about, but of course, he hadn't. " What about you Mac?" he asked curiously.  
  
"what about me." she replied nonchalantly.  
  
" what about you, who are you and why?" he asked.  
  
Harm seemed intrigued by this new line of conversation, and he sat up closer in his seat, listening, waiting for her reply.  
  
" well, I guess there's not a lot to say." she said, " I guess I'm not that interesting of a person." she shrugged, she had never really contemplated herself that much.   
  
" Oh no, I completely disagree." Andrew stated, some what displeased with her answer.  
  
" so do I." stated Harm.  
  
" Your're one of those suppressed personalities." Andrew spoke softly, as if he was pondering what he was saying as he was saying it. " You have a rage inside you that you never let out, because your afraid of it. So you just push it all down, and once in a while you'll let it out on a punching bag or in a battle, but it's always there, waiting to be unleashed." he said.  
  
Mac just nodded at him, astonished by his accuracy, waiting for him to say more.  
  
" I think I could help you release it, in time anyway." he said.   
  
Mac looked at Harm, and he looked back at her, with an uneasy, slightly worried expression on his face that frightened her. This whole conversation frightened her. The whole idea of ' realizing her rage' , was both appealing, and frightening to her. She looked away from Harm, and did not look at Andrew either, she pretended to be studying her fingernails intently, but she could still feel the gazes of Andrew and Harm piercing into her, full of regard for her, but she said nothing, and for a few moments there was an awkward silence between the three of them.   
But as the plane came to a stop and they rose from their seats, the silence passed, and an ambitious conversation rose between them, full of excitement and anticipation of their upcoming mission, of New York City, and of each other. 


	3. Realizations

They arrived at the hotel at 2:13 AM, and Mac instantly retreated to her room in exhaustion.  
  
Harm and Andrew were sharing the room directly across from hers, neither of them being tired. " you want me to make you a drink?" Harm asked Andrew, trying to break through the strained silence that presided over them as soon as Mac had left their company.  
  
" Sure, why not." Andrew replied.   
  
Harm poured the drinks and noticed the distraught expression on Andrews face as he stood out on the fire escape, staring out at the city. " what are you thinking about?" he asked, concerned.   
  
" Mac." he stated flatly.   
  
Harm was shocked by this anwser, even though he had suspected it all along. He walked out to the balcony, handing Andrew a drink and taking a sip off his own, he swished the liquid around in his glass. " don't do it." he said.  
  
" do what?" he asked.  
  
" think about Mac." replied Harm.  
  
" Why not?"   
  
" Because I know how you think about women. I know how you are with them. Mac is my best friend and I don't want her getting messed around with, that's why." Harm said, angrily.  
  
Andrew was taken aback by the sudden harsh, and protective tone to Harms usually calm and steady voice. "No, Harm, you've completely taken me the wrong way. I wasn't thinking about Mac, as in being with Mac, I was thinking about her as, you know a person, because she's so... complex. I don't know, I guess she puzzles me that's all.," He said. " What did you think I was talking about?"  
  
Harm remained silent, and took another sip of his drink.  
  
" Oh god, you're in love with her aren't you?" It came out more as a statement than a question. Andrew didn't give Harm enough time to reply. " I can't believe it! Harmon Rabb JR. has finally been snared, and of course it's by his partner, the beautiful marine who..."  
  
" Christ Andrew will you cut it out?" he managed to feign an incredulous laugh, " you have no idea what you're talking about. Mac and I are just friends that's all, there's nothing there. I guess I'm just over protective of her because we've been through so much together, that's all." he said.   
  
" you're sure?" asked Andrew disbelievingly.  
  
" Yes I'm sure."   
  
" well of course." said Andrew.  
  
" What's that supposed to mean?" asked Harm, annoyed.  
  
" Nothing. Harm, I really don't see the reason you'd need to be protective of her from me though, I mean, I respect her way too much to ever hurt her." he affirmed.  
  
Harm nodded at him in reply, " I know, it's just, getting late I guess I'm kind of, on edge."   
  
Andrew knew Harm to well to believe that he was just kind of 'on edge'. " yeah, I know what you mean." he said. " I'm tired. I think I'll go to sleep now. night Harm." he said.  
  
" good night." came a sullen reply.  
  
As Andrew laid in the hotel bed, inhaling that familiar, artificial hotel scent and staring at the ceiling, he could not stop thinking about his conversation with Harm. There was no doubt in his mind that Harm was in love with Mac, and it was obvious that Mac was in love with Harm. And that's what made him mad. Andrew knew how quickly Harm went through women, and how deeply terrified his older cousin was of commitment. It wasn't fair how Harm was unwilling to make a move, but would not allow anyone else to get close to Mac either. If he doesn't want to be with her, than he should stop being so selfish , and let her be happy with someone else. ' And I can make you happy Mac...' he thought to himself as he drifted off to sleep.   
  
  
  
TBC  
~ ok so what do you think? Please review if you have any comments or ideas. I won't continue this unless I get feedback, but if I do I gaurantee you that the next few chapters will be much more fast paste, descriptive, and action-ish. Thanks for reading my little story! - kyrie :) 


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